MUSIC – Riot Girl (2008)

Riot Girl
Artist: 平野綾
Released: 2008 (by Lantis)
Track listing:
1. LOVE★GUN
2. HERO
3. MonStAR
4. 明日のプリズム (Ashita no Prism)
5. Breakthrough (Album Ver.)
6. 冒険でしょでしょ? (Bouken Desho Desho?)
7. 曖昧スクリーム (Aimai Scream)
8. ヨロコビの歌 (Yorokobi no Uta )
9. Maybe I can’t good-bye.
10. NEOPHILIA
11. Harmonia Vita
12. For you
13. 星のかけら (Hoshi no Kakera)
14. RIOT GIRL

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Yes. That’s Aya Hirano up there. More popularly known as the voice of the incredibly famous Suzumiya Haruhi, Aya Hirano enters the world of pop music. How does she fair?

The album contains nine – that’s nine – previously released singles. I believe three of them are from anime ventures, one of which the b-side of her recent single Unnamed World. I guess if you liked those and if you liked (or at least enjoyed) Ashita no Prism plus its b-side Yorokobi no Uta, LOVE★GUN, the ridiculous MonSTAR and Neophilia… you at least have those to listen to.

The remaining five songs? Sadly, all forgettable.

Riot Girl promotes the album (gee, I wonder why) and I was really surprised when I watched the PV. It seemed rather… cheap. It didn’t have any redeeming quality. The song was nothing special either.

I have to admit that popstars are my guilty pleasure. I like looking at their doll-like faces and I am entertained at their attempts to seem deep and mature. Sadly, this album does nothing for me. It’s unremarkable. I would even say that it’s bad.

The cover is bad, the songs are unremarkable and Aya Hirano’s voice just falls short. Is it obvious that I’m not her biggest fan? Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy her shows and I can get caught singing Bouken Desho Desho, God Knows and even Motteke Sailor Fuku (plus it’s b-side, Kaeshite Knee Socks) but I would really, really like to point out that Aya Hirano is nothing special. This album illustrates my point.
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Aya Hirano’s Website
Lantis Website for RIOT GIRL.
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